I’m currently playing around with stuffed forms which I’ve always liked, and in the past did some shallow 3D bowl pieces with needlewoven structures in/on them. But in addition to needleweaving, such bars could also be wrapped, buttonholed, or even beaded, like this detail from “Below The Tideline” – think belt loops.
think belt loops perhaps
Needlewoven bars – only one I regard as successful – possibly the puff wasn’t stuffed fully enough. Someone commented this reminded her of a chicken… 🙂
Recently I saw an interesting fibreart piece online, in a grid made of something flexible (rope?) totally covered/wrapped with fabric and some stitch. All the crossover points were contained different sized 3D elements like blobs, which I wasn’t able to handle to examine throughly. The whole work, ~1.5mh x 1m was an irregular grid structure hanging 10cm in front of a wall, making the shadows it cast an integral part of the work. With grid structures being so important to me, it’s on my mind to explore something like this, but I’d make the blobs larger in comparison to the vacant spaces than I saw in that work, treating each blob or some key ones as a small embroidery with some stitched texture.
Also on my mind just now is the wonderful gold and pewter vinyl that I bought here in Montevideo late last year. It’s magic stuff, and looks like metallic finish leather, and while it’s softer, stretchy and easier to stitch through, it’s probably not as durable. It could have a bright role in top class sports gear or theatre costume. My figure’s too lumpy to wear some skinny pants made of it, but they’d look fabulous on the right person. I’ve used it in several works and found it’s terrific for raw edge applique, as sample making earlier this year showed:
SAQA is currently running a challenge like the one I took part in during 2021. As participants set our own agendas, on most days during this challenge I’ll be doing a small sample of some element of a bigger idea. Elements like those above could be applied to a blob about the size of an egg, I think, and whatever the material, the gathered edges at the back would need covering over, making a perfect site for some kind of stitched texture element.
Because I am always open to the creative potential possibilities of non-traditional fabrics and materials that I sometimes come across, sample making is a very important part of my practice. This challenge began while I was still working on my entry for the mask exhibition here in Montevideo, and so first up I posted a few pics of it on the challenge’s private FB page. I haven’t yet blogged about that mask here, as the entry date is still open for a few more days.
